North Korea open to freezing nuclear weapons tests amid talks

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agrees to meet South Korea's president and impose a moratorium on nuclear tests.

06 Mar 2018 14:45 GMT

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has agreed to meet South Korea's president next month and impose a moratorium on nuclear and missile tests if his country holds talks with the United States, a senior South Korean official said on Tuesday after returning from North Korea.

North Korean officials pledged not to use nuclear weapons on South Korea, according to the Blue House, South Korean's presidential palace.

"The North Korean side clearly stated its willingness to denuclearize," a statement from South Korean President Moon Jae-in's office said. "It made it clear that it would have no reason to keep nuclear weapons if the military threat to the North was eliminated and its security guaranteed."

The agreements, which follow a flurry of cooperative steps taken by the Koreas during last month's Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, brightened prospects for a dialogue between North Korea and the US over the North Korea's nuclear programme.

US President Donald Trump lauded possible talks between North and South Korea on Twitter Tuesday morning.

"Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting!" Trump said.

Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!

The announcement followed high-level talks in Pyongyang between Chung and top North Korean leaders, including Kim Jong-un.

"The North side clearly affirmed its commitment to the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and said it would have no reason to possess nuclear weapons should the safety of its regime be guaranteed and military threats against North Korea removed," he said.

Chung also said that North Korea has expressed willingness to hold "candid" talks with the US on the issues of denuclearisation and normalisation of bilateral ties.